Placement device for installing a pellet-retention device onto a tooth

ABSTRACT

A placement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive a medicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth of a patient. According to one embodiment, the placement device includes a body and a protrusion disposed on the body. The protrusion is sized and configured so as to releasably attach to the socket of a dental bracket used to receive and retain a medicament-releasing pellet. The protrusion may be male, or alternatively, may include a female cavity designed to receive a socket of a dental bracket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S.application Ser. No. 10/793,145, filed Mar. 4, 2004. The foregoing U.S.application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for installationof a dental bracket for the slow release of a medicament, particularlybut not exclusively fluoride for the improved treatment and/orprevention of dental caries.

2. The Relevant Technology

Dental caries consist of demineralization of a tooth caused by bacteria.In the early stages of caries a white spot develops on the tooth and ifthe disease is not halted and reversed, the enamel surface breaks downto form a lesion. This can then lead to decay and eventually, afractured or pitted tooth. It is well known that development of dentalcaries may be reduced by means of various factors, such as diet and oralhygiene measures, anti-microbial treatments and the provision offluoride to the teeth.

Current methods for administering fluoride include the fluoridation ofdrinking water, the ingestion of fluoride tablets, the incorporation offluoride into mouth washes, dentifrices and foods, the topicalapplication of fluoride solutions, gels and varnishes, and recently, theincorporation of fluoride in dental materials and special devices. Thesehave a variable effect on caries which is unpredictable on an individualbasis and is dependent on patient compliance in following the prescribedregimen.

Evidence supports the concept of frequent applications of relatively lowconcentrations of fluoride ions for the elimination of caries. Asustained and controlled release delivery system could help to achievethis goal. At least three general approaches have been reported for theapplication of sustained and controlled slow releasing systems: (1) asustained release ingested tablet or capsule (Masuhara et al. 1985); (2)incorporation of fluoride into dental cements (McClean & Wilson); and(3) an intra-oral device attached to the teeth (Minth et al. 1983).However, each of these existing technologies has been difficult to use,unpredictable, susceptible to damage, an irritant to surrounding tissue,or unacceptable to the patient.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a placement device for installing adental bracket designed to receive a medicament-releasing pellet onto atooth of a patient.

The placement device includes a body sized and configured to be at leastpartially inserted into a person's mouth, and a protrusion disposed onthe body. The protrusion is sized and configured to releasably attach toa socket of a dental bracket.

According to one embodiment, the body comprises an elongate handle, andthe protrusion is located near an end of the handle. According to oneembodiment, the protrusion is male so as to mate within acorrespondingly-sized and shaped female socket of a dental bracket. Themale protrusion may have any of various shapes corresponding to theshape of the medicament-releasing pellet to be received by the dentalbracket socket. For example, the male protrusion may be spherical,circular, ellipsoidal, loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or any other shape.

According to another embodiment, the protrusion includes a female cavitycapable of receiving the socket of a dental bracket. The socket of thedental bracket may be one of various shapes configured to receive amedicament-releasing pellet that may be spherical, circular,ellipsoidal, loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or any other shape. The femalecavity of the protrusion has a shape and size configured to receive thecorrespondingly shaped socket.

The socket of a dental bracket may be either flexible or rigid. It maybe preferable to use a placement device having a male protrusion with adental bracket having a flexible socket and to use a placement devicehaving a protrusion with a female cavity with a rigid socket.

The placement device may be formed of any biocompatible material, suchas a biocompatible metal (e.g., stainless steel or nickel-titanium) orplastic. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of theplacement device may be formed of a transparent plastic material.

According to one embodiment, the placement device may be attachable to adental curing light. Such an embodiment may provide additionalconvenience and ease of use when using the placement device to place adental bracket and bonding the bracket to a patient's tooth with a lightcurable adhesive resin.

These and other benefits, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more fully apparent from the following descriptionand appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the inventionas set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the manner in which the above recited and other benefits,advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more particulardescription of the invention briefly described above will be rendered byreference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in theappended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typicalembodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be consideredlimiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary dental bracket having abase and a socket;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an exemplary placement device;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the placement device of FIG. 2A holdingthe dental bracket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of an alternative placement device anddental bracket;

FIG. 2D is a perspective view of an alternative placement device anddental bracket;

FIG. 2E is a perspective view of an alternative placement device anddental bracket;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an alternative pellet bracket placementdevice;

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the placement device of FIG. 3A holdingthe dental bracket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative placement devicecomprising a lens attachment for a dental curing light;

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the dental bracket of FIG. 1 being positionedand bonded to a patient's tooth using the placement device illustratedin FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

I. Introduction

A detailed description of the invention will now be provided withspecific reference to Figures illustrating preferred embodiments of theinvention. It will be appreciated that like structures will be providedwith like reference designations. To provide context for interpretingthe scope of the invention, certain terms used throughout theapplication will now be defined.

II. Exemplary Dental Bracket and Medicament-Releasing Pellet

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary medicament release kit 100, whichincludes a medicament-releasing pellet 102 and a dental bracket 104. Thebracket includes a base 106, and a socket 108. FIG. 1 illustrates aperspective view of the medicament release kit 100 with the pellet 102separate from the bracket 104. In use when the bracket 104 is installedonto a patient's tooth, the pellet 102 is received within socket 108.

The medicament-releasing pellet 102 seen in FIG. 1 has a sphericalshape, although any of various other shapes, such as ellipsoidal,loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or any other shape may be used. Themedicament-releasing pellet contains a medicament (e.g., fluoride) thatis slowly released into the patient's body over a period of time. Thepellet may be formed of amorphous or crystalline glass, light orchemically curable resins, thermoplastics, or other materials.Thermoplastics or curable resins may be desirable pellet formingmaterials where the medicament decomposes or is otherwise destroyed athigh temperatures.

The dental bracket 104 includes a base 106 and a socket 108. The base106 is configured to be bonded to the surface of a patient's tooth.According to one embodiment, the base 106 is bonded to a tooth with achemical cure or light cure adhesive resin. The socket 108 may be formedof a rigid or flexible material. A flexible material may hold the pellet102 securely, while also allowing the pellet 102 to be easily removed,when desired.

III. Exemplary Bracket Placement Device

FIG. 2A illustrates a device 200 for placing a dental bracket (e.g.,bracket 104) onto the tooth of a patient. Device 200 includes a body 202and a protrusion 204 disposed on the body 202. The body 202 is sized andconfigured to be at least partially inserted into a person's mouth. Theprotrusion 204 is sized and configured so as to releasably attach to asocket of a dental bracket used to receive and retain amedicament-releasing pellet. In the illustrated embodiment, bodycomprises an elongate handle, and the protrusion 204 is formed near anend of the body 202.

The protrusion 204 illustrated in FIG. 2A is male, and configured tomate within the socket of a dental bracket (e.g., socket 108 of dentalbracket 104). The protrusion 204 is configured to have an outsidesurface configured to mate within the socket of a dental bracket. Asmentioned above, sockets may be configured to receive pellets which arespherical, ellipsoidal, loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or any other shape.Accordingly, the protrusion 204 may be spherical, ellipsoidal,loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or any other shape that is configured to matewith the socket of the dental bracket. Embodiments of such protrusionsare illustrated in FIGS. 2C-2E. A protrusion which mates within thesocket of a dental bracket preferably is used with a dental brackethaving a flexible socket. The protrusion 204 may be flexible or rigid,as desired. FIG. 2B illustrates device 200 with protrusion 204 matedwithin socket 108 of dental bracket 104.

As shown, the pellet 102 may be provided as attached to the body 202 byrubber cement or other adhesive that allows removal of the pellet whendesired.

FIG. 2C illustrates a device 200 a including a body 202 a and aprotrusion 204 a. Pellet 102 a may be provided as attached to the body202 a by rubber cement or other adhesive that allows removal of thepellet when desired. The protrusion 204 a is mated within the socket 108a of dental bracket 104 a. Protrusion 204 a, pellet 102 a, and thehollow defined by socket 108 a are substantially ellipsoidal.

FIG. 2D illustrates a device 200 b including a body 202 b and aprotrusion 204 b. Pellet 102 b may be provided as attached to the body202 b by rubber cement or other adhesive that allows removal of thepellet when desired. The protrusion 204 b is mated within the socket 108b of dental bracket 104 b. Protrusion 204 b, pellet 102 b, and thehollow defined by socket 108 b are substantially bar-shaped.

FIG. 2E illustrates a device 200 c including a body 202 c and aprotrusion 204 c. Pellet 102 c may be provided as attached to the body202 c by rubber cement or other adhesive that allows removal of thepellet when desired. The protrusion 204 c is mated within the socket 108c of dental bracket 104 c. Protrusion 204 c, pellet 102 c, and thehollow defined by socket 108 c are substantially loaf-shaped.

FIG. 3A illustrates an alternative device 300 having a body 302 and aprotrusion 304 that is configured to releasably attach to a socket of adental bracket (e.g., socket 108 of dental bracket 104). The protrusion304 includes a female cavity 306 that is sized and configured to receivea socket (e.g., socket 108). The cavity 306 may be configured to receivea spherical, ellipsoidal, loaf-shaped, bar-shaped, or other shapedsocket. A protrusion which includes a female cavity 306 that receives asocket of a dental bracket preferably is used with a dental brackethaving a rigid socket. The protrusion 304 and cavity 306 may be flexibleor rigid, as desired. Protrusion 304 may optionally have a plurality ofprongs that can be flexed or manipulated, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and3B, making insertion and removal of the dental bracket 104 easier. FIG.3B illustrates device 300 with socket 108 of dental bracket 104 receivedwithin cavity 306 of protrusion 304.

The device (e.g., device 200 or 300) may be formed of any biocompatiblematerial, such as, a biocompatible metal (e.g., stainless steel ornickel-titanium) or plastic. According to one embodiment, at least aportion of the device is formed of a material transparent to curinglight wavelengths. This allows the user to hold the dental bracket inplace and cure a light curable adhesive resin through the transparentportion of the device.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a pellet bracketplacement device 400 that is a lens attachment to a dental curing light410. Device 400 includes a body 402 and a protrusion 404 on the bodysized and configured so as to be releasably attach to the socket of adental bracket used to receive and retain a medicament-releasing pellet.Such a lens attachment 400 may be removably attachable adjacent to alight source of a dental curing light. Light generated by the dentalcuring light 410 is directed through the body 402, exiting through andaround protrusion 404, which is transparent to curing light wavelengths.This allows a dental practitioner to attach the dental bracket toprotrusion 404, manipulate the body 402 by manipulating dental curinglight 410, and to light cure the dental bracket to the patient's toothin the location desired. Although protrusion 404 is illustrated as male,a protrusion including a female cavity could alternatively be used.

IV. Exemplary Method of Use

The medicament release kit may be attached to a patient's tooth, asillustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate attachment ofthe kit 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 using the placement device illustratedin FIG. 2A, although other embodiments may similarly be used. The dentalpractitioner attaches the protrusion 204 of the placement device 200 (asseen in FIG. 2B) to the socket 108 of the dental bracket so as to becoupled with to the placement device 200. The dental practitioner thenpositions the dental bracket onto the surface of tooth 512. The base 106of the dental bracket is bonded to the tooth 512. This may be done withany suitable adhesive, e.g., a chemical or light curable adhesive resin.FIG. 5A illustrates use of a dental curing light 513 to cure a lightcurable adhesive resin, bonding the dental bracket 104 to the tooth 512.

In one embodiment, the bonding side of the base 106 may have the firstpart of a two-part chemical cure adhesive resin pre-applied. In anotherembodiment, the bonding side may have a light activated resinpre-applied. Pre-applying either adhesive aids the dental practitionerin ease of use and placement. With the adhesive in place (whetherpre-applied or applied by the dental practitioner), the dental bracketis positioned onto the tooth. The base 106 provides sufficient surfacearea for bonding to the tooth 512. According to one embodiment, the base106 is sufficiently curved and flexible so as to tightly fit the contourof the patient's tooth. Once the dental bracket is bonded to the tooth,the medicament-releasing pellet 102 may be installed in the socket 108.The medicament-releasing pellet 102 may be held within the socket 108 bya friction fit, or by placing a bead of silicone resin 514 between thesocket 108 and the pellet 102. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, it ispreferable to bond the device to the patient's first upper molar,although other positions could be used. In addition, it may sometimes bedesirable to install more than one device within the patient's mouth,for example, one device may be attached to each of the upper and lowerfirst molars.

The medicament release kit provides a bracket which may be installed bya dental practitioner, and which is intended to remain installed in thepatient's mouth over a long period of time (e.g., up to 20 years). Themedicament-releasing pellet is intended to provide slow release of amedicament (e.g., fluoride) over a period between about 6 months andabout 2 years, after which time the pellet may be removed and replaced,either at home or at a dentist's office.

It will also be appreciated that the present claimed invention may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit oressential characteristics. The described embodiments are to beconsidered in all respects only as illustrative, not restrictive. Thescope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embracedwithin their scope.

1. A placement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive amedicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth, comprising: a body sized andconfigured to be at least partially inserted into a person's mouth; anda protrusion disposed on the body sized and configured so as toreleasably attach to a socket of a dental bracket used to receive andretain a medicament-releasing pellet.
 2. A placement device as recitedin claim 1, wherein the body comprises an elongate handle, wherein theprotrusion is at an end of the elongate handle.
 3. A placement device asrecited in claim 1, wherein the protrusion is male so as to mate withina correspondingly-sized and shaped female socket of a dental bracket. 4.A placement device as recited in claim 1, wherein the protrusionincludes a female cavity so as to receive therein the socket of a dentalbracket.
 5. A placement device as recited in claim 1, wherein theplacement device comprises a lens attachment for a dental curing light.6. A placement device as recited in claim 5, wherein the lens attachmentis removably attachable adjacent to a light source of a dental curinglight.
 7. A placement device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least aportion of the placement device is transparent so as to allow lightemitted by a dental curing light to pass through the placement device soas to cure an adhesive used to bond a dental bracket to a patient'stooth.
 8. A placement device as recited in claim 1, wherein theprotrusion is substantially spherical.
 9. A placement device as recitedin claim 1, wherein the protrusion is substantially circular.
 10. Aplacement device as recited in claim 1, wherein the protrusion issubstantially ellipsoidal.
 11. A placement device as recited in claim 1,wherein the protrusion is substantially bar-shaped.
 12. A placementdevice as recited in claim 1, wherein the protrusion is substantiallyloaf-shaped.
 13. A placement device as recited in claim 1, wherein theprotrusion has a plurality of prongs that can be flexed or manipulatedto at least partially enclose a socket of a dental bracket.
 14. Aplacement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive amedicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth, comprising: an elongatehandle, sized and configured to be at least partially inserted into aperson's mouth; a substantially spherical protrusion disposed at an endof the elongate handle, the protrusion being sized and configured so asto releasably attach to a socket of a dental bracket used to receive andretain a medicament-releasing pellet
 15. A method of using a pelletbracket placement device, comprising the steps of: providing a placementdevice as recited in claim 1; attaching the protrusion of the placementdevice to a socket of a dental bracket, so that the dental bracket isreleasably coupled to the placement device; positioning the dentalbracket onto a surface of a tooth; and bonding the dental bracket to thetooth.
 16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the dental bracketis bonded to the tooth with a light curable adhesive resin.
 17. A methodas recited in claim 15, wherein the dental bracket is bonded to thetooth with a chemical cure adhesive resin.
 18. A method as recited inclaim 15, further comprising removing the placement device from thedental bracket.